Jennifer Merrick

We had 10 days, two teenagers.......

Two ships pass in the night. When Classica is enroute to the Grand Bahama Island, Celebration is heading to Palm Beach, Florida, and vice versa, each taking two days to complete the journey.
They’re both cruise ships belonging to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, each with multiple dining options, onboard entertainment, spa, casino and deckchairs with views of the ocean and pools. But the ships are also a means of transportation.

Glittering Skylines to Ancient Treasures: Cruising the Yangtze from Chongqing to the Three Gorges

Buy experiences not things, and we will be happier is what the research now says. The thrill of material purchases is short-lived, but the joy of adventure, travel, activities and encounters last well after the experience is over, bringing more lasting satisfaction in our lives.
So this holiday season, why not give your family and friends experiential gifts? And be sure to buy two, so you can join your loved ones, since studies also tell us that social interaction makes us merrier, too.
Here ...

Exploring Banff, Alberta
A strong odor of hard boiled eggs—a little on the rotten side—hit us as we entered.
“It’s not me; I had a bath,” joked our Parks Canada guide, Amar Athwal.
We were at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the birthplace of Banff National Park and Canada’s federal park system, which now encompasses over three dozen parks and 174,000 square miles of protected lands and waters. And it all came about because of this pungent odor. Well, more specifically, of where the...

“Were there any locals in Banff?” I wondered on our visit to the Rockies, where we heard accents from all over the world. It seemed that everyone we talked to had planned to come here for a short time and never left.
People like Paul Lapierre, our Lake Louise Mountain Adventure Guide, who had been hitchhiking from Thunder Bay to Vancouver 32 years ago, but never made it out of Banff National Park.
“Best decision ever,” he told us. And as I looked around, it was easy to understand his choice. ...

Toronto's inspired new hotels: Hotel X and Anndore House

Bob Marley's Jamaica

Discovering Gananoque and the 1000 Islands

Destinations & Articles
Out of South Africa, Exploring the Eastern Cape
Long before I heard the catchphrase bucket list, I dreamt of going on safari. I’d imagine myself driving through the African plains in an open-air jeep, photographing lions, outfitted like Meryl Streep in the movie Out of Africa. Later Robert Redford would shampoo my hair while quoting poetry… (Okay, I digress.)
But now, decades later, I finally had the chance to visit this great continent with a dream trip to South Afric...

What comes to my mind when I think of cyclists are Lycra-clad, calves-of-steel weekend warriors deftly speeding down roads on sleek aerodynamic bikes. Or maybe ones climbing up monster hills in the rain, bikes packed with supplies, a long way from civilization. I admire these cyclists, and sometimes fantasize about doing the same one day.
But that’s not me.
I don’t own any Lycra; my bike was $100 on sale at Canadian Tire; I’m scared to share roads with cars; and my calves are flabby. Yet, man...

For the ultimate staycation experience, book a night or two at one of the city’s inspired hotels. While the cottaging folks are fighting the traffic, you’ll have the city to yourself and enjoy it all in style.
Hotel X – This new resort-styled luxury hotel has to be seen to be believed. Located downtown, next to the Exhibition Place, the 30-storey property has unobstructed sightlines of the CN Tower, Toronto Islands and Lake Ontario. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the rooms show off these stu...

“We call it the Queen of Lakes,” said Tom Hugh, a local living near Gananoque, describing Charleston Lake. Situated about 330 kilometres east of Mississauga in the Frontenac Arch UNESCO World Biosphere, the 26 km2 lake is also home to Charleston Lake Provincial Park.

After our trip here, I understood its royal nickname.

It’s truly a regal spot.

Mountain Adventures in Southwestern Colorado.

Out of South Africa: Exploring the Eastern Cape.